"Each person must be responsible for their actions"
The Suðurnes police chief strongly advises against people going to the mountains Þorbjörn, Hagafell, or other nearby mountains in the vicinity of the town of Grindavík. He says the open areas in the town's vicinity are vast and have not been inspected separately, and there are open cracks at Nesvegur Road and Hópsnes.
This is stated in the announcement of the police chief of Suðurnes, Úlfar Lúðvíksson, to the media.
It has been reported that the National Weather Service's risk assessment remains unchanged from last week, and the new risk assessment will take effect on November 12, if nothing changes in the meantime.
Everyone is responsible for their actions
The chief of police says that tourists are at their own risk in Iceland's nature and that areas north of the city limits are dangerous.
"Residents, workers, and others who stay in danger zones do so at their own risk. Each person must be responsible for their actions or inactions. The police chief notes that Grindavík is not an ideal place for people with children or children to play. There are no school and sports activities," is reported in the announcement.
The area is considered contaminated by active as well as inactive bombs
The police chief says that the attention of tourists should be drawn to warning signs at the main viewpoints where the area is described as dangerous.
"The area south of Vogar and Reykjanesbraut Road has been searched for bombs for years. That area is considered contaminated by active and inactive bombs that can cause casualties if they explode, but heat or movement can affect that. Positioning within 300 meters of the center of a large bomb can cause casualties. There are cannonballs, mortars, and practice bombs in the area," the announcement says.
Lúðvíksson mentions that it is only for bomb experts to assess the condition and type of these bombs and that there is no detailed information about the extent or size of the area, but the Coast Guard has drawn up a map for information.
"Into this area, first responders and others need to stick to marked hiking trails. Attention is drawn to this danger with signs that have been at the beginning of hiking trails for decades. Locals and outdoor enthusiasts who have walked around the area know this. It is necessary to draw attention to these facts for tourists as well. It is the police commissioner's recommendation to tourism providers and those who provide information to foreign tourists to convey this information to tourists."
May have to vacate at short notice
The police chief says that the Blue Lagoon and the hotel in Grindavík Northern Light Inn are open.
He mentions that there is now a dense network of gas meters in the working area of the Blue Lagoon and that a weather station is located on one of the lagoon's buildings.
"Monitoring and responding to potential gas pollution is now done in a completely different way than it has been in the past in the Blue Lagoon's area of operation. Representatives of the companies attend meetings of the operational board and field board. You have to follow the opening hours on the companies' websites. It may be necessary to evacuate at short notice, but the companies operate in the defined danger zone of the Icelandic Meteorological Office. Dangers in the area are considered low or very low under the current conditions," says the police chief.
The map of the Icelandic Coast Guard showing the yellow triangle is only a rough estimation of the danger zone. Map/Icelandic Coast Guard
The executive committee is in charge
It is also stated that at a level of public safety uncertainty, the authority of the police chief is not activated according to the law of public safety, and therefore the implementation committee for earthquakes in Grindavík will manage, organize and implement projects as follows:
"a. The operation of service teams that integrate services for the residents of the town of Grindavík, i.a. when it comes to school and leisure activities, social services, childcare services, services for older people, disabled people, and other vulnerable groups and support in the field of housing and labor market issues. Tasks of service teams include preparing proposals and plans for support for the residents and consulting with the host municipalities, the government, and other parties on services to them.
b. Make decisions about the operation of the service center for the residents of Grindavíkurbær and its operation as the case may be.
c. Conducting a risk assessment for urban areas in the town of Grindavík in collaboration with the National Police Commissioner.
d. Overseeing the execution of the necessary repairs to ensure the functionality, operation, and delivery safety of the infrastructure, as appropriate and falling under the responsibility of Grindavík.
e. Survey of soil.
f. Overseeing the implementation of necessary repairs on streets, paths, and open areas for which the town of Grindavík is responsible.
g. Overseeing the protection of movable assets in Grindavík as appropriate, in the opinion of the executive committee.
h. Implementation of access control in Grindavík in cooperation with the police.
i. Delivering information to the residents of Grindavík and stakeholders about the state of affairs and the progress of projects carried out by the committee."
Warning sirens installed
Lúðvíksson says that there are still dangers in the area and that conditions inside and outside danger zones can change with little notice.
Dangers can also be hidden outside the marked areas.
"Escape routes from Grindavík are via Suðurstrandarvegur Road, Nesvegur Road, Bláalónsvegur Road and Grindavíkurvegur Road. Escape routes from the Blue Lagoon are via Bláalónsvegur Road and Grindavíkurvegur Road. Arfadalsvík Road is a closed single-lane gravel road that can be used in the event of an evacuation."
The police chief also mentions that to draw people's attention, three warning sirens have been installed in Grindavík.
There are also warning sirens at the Blue Lagoon and at HS Orka in Svartsengi, and he says the warning sirens have been used successfully.
Cannot guarantee safety in hazardous areas
"Few residents of Grindavík choose to stay in town overnight. The Chief of Police cannot guarantee their safety in dangerous areas.
Emergency responders are at work in Grindavík, and the police and fire brigade are carrying out statutory inspections in the town as they have been. An ambulance is stationed in Grindavík all days during the day."